The new kid on the block

When a child joins your class part-way through the year, it’s in their – and your – interests to ensure that they settle quickly. Jo Brighouse offers her advice to help get your recent arrival off to a flying start
2nd June 2017, 12:00am
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The new kid on the block

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archived/new-kid-block

As a very new teacher, I acquired a new pupil midway through the year. It was a drizzly January morning and I had a mood to match as I battled an obstructive wi-fi connection and a cold that all the Lemsip in the land couldn’t touch. The knell of the playground bell was just a minute away when he suddenly appeared in my doorway.

There had been no warning. My cramped and badly shaped classroom was already full to bursting and I had just spent hours working out a new seating plan with my teaching assistant.

Now here he was, in his brand new uniform, with his dad standing beside him, looking nervously up at me.

“Hi. Can I help?” I asked

“He’s starting school here today,” his dad told me. “The secretary told us to come to this classroom.”

His statement was confirmed by the secretary, who whizzed by to say I had a new child starting today and that they’d just this minute got the paperwork through.

“Right, OK then,” I said. “I’m afraid I’ve got to get the class in, so could you stand by the desk until we sort you out a place to sit?”.

Then I was out of the door.

It was not a propitious start. This poor child had turned up at his new school, thrust into an alien environment not knowing a soul, and his class teacher had greeted him with a frown and promptly abandoned him.

Luckily for me, he was an exceptionally nice boy who settled in incredibly well, was a delight to teach and thankfully forgave me for my awful start. But, having received dozens of new children into my class since then (and having experienced the mid-year start as a parent), I’m minded to offer some advice to teachers for the next school year. Here are some ways you could help your new arrivals to get off to a flying start.

Arrange a pre-visit

It won’t always be possible but, if you can, invite the new child in for a visit before they start. Their first full day will be so much easier if they’ve already been in the building and met their teacher and classmates.

A half-day session is ideal (avoid getting them to stay over lunchtime) and make sure that you pick a time where the regular routine isn’t disrupted.

They can join in with whatever you’re doing but set aside some time to properly introduce them to the class and to have some one-to-one time with them yourself. You could also send them on a tour of the school with some classmates.

Meet and greet

Whether they’ve spent their life bouncing from school to school or this is their first-ever move, every new child deserves the warmest of welcomes. Even when they arrive at the most unexpected and inconvenient of times, greet the child as if the only thing that has been keeping you from total happiness in this world is their presence in your class. You should also welcome them to the school as a whole (putting them into a weekly good-work assembly is an easy way to do this without overwhelming them).

Designated friends

Landing mid-year into a class of already established friendships is daunting, but as a teacher you can help. The good news is that, in a primary school, new children are automatically popular (at least for the first few days). Even so, every new child needs a couple of guides, so pick out a couple of your friendliest, kindest souls and give them the job of looking after their new classmate, especially in the playground (and then discreetly check that they are doing this).

Get things ready for them

Most children will feel shy and nervous on their first day in a new school. One way to decrease the sense of alienation is to have things ready for them. Little things such as having a labelled peg and tray waiting (laminated, like all the others) and named exercise books can do wonders to help the feeling of belonging. If you don’t get enough notice to do this, explain why to the child and get everything ready for the next day.

Meet the parents

On their first day, chances are the parents will be as nervous as the child. Make sure you introduce yourself and go out at the end of the day to have a quick chat (if the parent doesn’t collect, you can send a note home). Arranging an early meeting with the parents one evening a week or so in is useful for both sides. You should also make sure that parents get copies of school policies, term dates and any curriculum information for the year.

Set the standards high

Obviously, get as much information as you can from the previous school but, whether they come with an exemplary record of achievement and behaviour or quite the opposite, you should receive them as if they are the brightest, best-behaved child you have ever had the pleasure to teach.


Jo Brighouse is a pseudonym of a primary school teacher in the West Midlands. She tweets at @jo_brighouse

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